Top 5: What's next for these undeveloped properties in Washtenaw County?

The economic recession dealt a huge blow to Washtenaw County’s construction industry. Builders were left reeling and many developers put projects on hold as the economy spiraled.

Development resumed as the region slowly climbed out of the recession, and today, more than 100 projects are proposed, approved or under construction across the county.

But some properties that once held promises of redevelopment still sit empty, leaving a question mark on the future of those sites.

A recent ownership change at a half-acre property on Glen Avenue near the University of Michigan’s Medical Campus has left me wondering: What’s next for the property?

Meanwhile, the future of a 25-acre property bordering Waters Road, Oak Valley Drive and Ann Arbor-Saline Road in Pittsfield Township is unclear after developers withdrew a controversial plan in March to build a Kroger store, four retail buildings and 200 apartments on the site.

As construction surges in Washtenaw County, here are five properties I’m watching for development activity:

Lower Town: A chain-link fence surrounds the Lower Town property at the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway Street in Ann Arbor, a site once planned for the ambitious $172 million Broadway Village redevelopment project that would bring residential units, retail and office space. The Lower Town property acts as a gateway into downtown from the north and it’s in close proximity to the University of Michigan’s Medical Campus. No activity has occurred on the site in years, after existing buildings, including an abandoned Kroger store, were demolished. In a 2012 interview with The Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje called the Lower Town property a “great opportunity for residential development in the city.” City of Ann Arbor Planning Manager Wendy Rampson said she’s received some sporadic inquiries about the property, but no formal proposals have been submitted.

Avis Farms office parks: New industrial and office construction lags behind retail development in Washtenaw County. Existing office vacancies and the cost to build made new construction impractical for many companies and developers during the economic recession, but that’s starting to change. Avis Farms and Avis Farms South off South State Street in Pittsfield Township both have vacant land. Control Gauging is constructing a new 30,000-square-foot building in Avis Farms, and real estate agents are starting to see some interest from companies looking to build new.

Glen Ann Place: This half-acre site on Glen Avenue between Catherine and Ann streets still sits empty, 10 years after Ann Arbor City Council approved Joseph Freed & Associates’ plan to build a nine-story apartment building with lower level commercial space. Tax foreclosure notices were staked into the site in fall 2013 after the Glen Ann Place site plan expired. Back taxes were paid and city property records show Freed no longer owns the property, a signal that development could follow. Catherine Ann Development Company LLC purchased the site in March for $2.5 million. The entity is registered to Craig Singer, who is part of a group of Oakland County-based investors that own several developments in Washtenaw County, including the Oak Valley Centre anchored by Target and the 192-unit apartment project being constructed behind the shopping center.

25 acres of land in Pittsfield Township: A developer wanted to transform the property bordering Waters Road, Oak Valley Drive and Ann Arbor-Saline Road into a Kroger store, four retail buildings and 200 apartments. Kroger and Farmington Hills-based developer Schafer Development, which had assembled the land from six different property owners and planned to purchase it if the plans were approved, backed out of the project in March after an emotional public meeting in Pittsfield Township that drew over 200 residents. The decision to back out of the plan raises two questions: What’s next for the property, and where is Kroger looking to build now?

Water Street: The 38-acre property in Ypsilanti is seeing some activity with plans for a $1.2 million Family Dollar store and the $12.5 million affordable Water Street Flats both approved by City Council earlier this year. Those developments will be the first on the property since the city began assembling the site in 1999 with a vision to turn it into a premier waterfront residential and retail hub for its residents. Ypsilanti officials are optimistic that development momentum will continue.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at 734-255-2638, email her lizzyalfs@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.